Not one but two...

[emerald_8122]

Hi, I'm not sure if this is a debatable topic but it's certainly a debate I have been having with myself for days and no closer to a resolution.

After a lot of consideration and research I decided to purchase a Hermann's hatchling, which I've arranged to pick up in two weeks. In the meantime, a mature male Russian tortoise came in to a local animal services shelter and went up for adoption. I thought he was cute and deserved a good home! He moved in with me . I love him but I still would really like the Hermann's hatchling and wanted opinions on the work involved in owning two different breeds of tortoise.

They would obviously have separate enclosures. But what other precautions do I need to take? If I have one out walking around the yard with me, because I like to interact with them, does that mean the other tortoise can never walk around the yard because of the risk of contamination? How diligent do you have to be? Is there a quarantine period after which, if neither is showing signs or symptoms of illness, I can relax the rules?

Also, does anyone have any advice on maximizing efficiency when looking after multiple torts, including regarding space? My husband thinks I'm crazy and I'm trying to figure out how I can convince him otherwise

 

[wellington]

Make two enclosures outside one for each. The Russian will not be able to just roam a yard. They are escape artist and need to have a proper escape proof home. This way they can both have out door space with no fear of contamination to each other. Spend your time with them inside their own enclosure.

 

[Tom]

SInce you don't know the history of the russian tortoise, it is possibly a wild caught animal. If this is the case it could be harboring all sorts of bad stuff. In your case, I'd be very cautious and always keep them separated and in separate areas. Have dedicated tools and utensils for each enclosure and never mix them.

About having them loose in the yard, I agree with Barb. So many people lose their tortoises this way. There are several treads running in just the past few weeks of lost tortoises that were out loose in the yard. Every person who loses their tortoise this way was sure that they were being super careful and attentive, and even said so. They thought it wouldn't happen to them. One member even came on to someone else's thread boasting that she didn't care if we hated her or what we said, but that she let her tortoise run free in the yard all the time, and everything was fine. It wasn't two days later that she posted a teary eyed plea for help. Her tortoise was lost and what should she do? Sad. Should never have happened…

Make a large, secure enclosure outside and leave the tortoise in it. Go into the enclosure for quality time with your tortoise if you want. We failed to prevent that other lady from learning this lesson the hard way. I hope we succeed with you.

 

[emerald_8122]

Ok, thank you for the advice.

 

[Yvonne G]

No one has addressed the fact of keeping TWO tortoises together, so I will. Yes, you should not mix species. But having two tortoises in one enclosure rarely works. Once the Hermanni gets big enough, you will have a dominant and a submissive. The dominant will always be after the submissive to get out of his territory. But because he's locked in, so to speak, he can't get out. So he'll stay hidden to try to keep out of mr. dominance's way. He'll stop eating and growing and eventually get sick and die. There are sometimes exceptions to this rule, but it's true more often than not, and better to be safe than sorry.

 

[Tom]

No one has addressed the fact of keeping TWO tortoises together, so I will.

The OP addressed it in post number one:

They would obviously have separate enclosures.